Searches in the subway. Now it is a reality. Today people were being stopped when they got to the station. People are being asked to open their bags so the police can look in. Strangely enough, I do not have an issue of this. Granted, I grew up in the mid-west and may be naive, but that is okay.
We are searched when we get on an airplane, when we go into a court house and when we go into a federal or state building. Why wouldn't we be stopped on a subway? It just makes sense to me. The reality is that we could go to work one day, and not come home. That can be said anywhere. To be honest, I do not have a problem with being stopped and asked to look in my bag...All that they will find is a Harry Potter Book and a couple of pens.
What do you think?
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10 comments:
UGH! Jamie!!!
How can you be ok with this? It starts with issues of safety, and the government will use the scare tactics to strip you of your rights. People are being arrested for carrying drugs in their bag. How is this protecting you against terrorism? Is the guy with a bag of weed in his backpack going to blow up the subway? Nah. But he gets arrested anyway. He was illegally searched. There was no probable cause to search his bag. It is happening little by little where we are being stripped our our rights to privacy under the guise of "safety". People are accepting it because the powers that be have made us afraid of everything and everyone. How far will it go in the name of "homeland security"?
Just my thoughts.
jamie,
i think it's great that the police have taken a proactive approach to ensure the safety of NYC.
to me if someone gets arrested for things other than having a bomb in their backpack, then perhaps they shouldn't have been doing anything illegal in the first place. that's like getting mad for getting pulled over for pseeding and then the cop notices you're also wasted drunk.
course working for a national non-profit kind of seals the deal that you become hella straight-edge and a big square.
if nothing else, i hope you get the courtesy of dinner and a drink first if you get frisked.... i didn't even get to smoke a cigarette after being felt up by a 7 foot tall german woman in the frankfurt airport.
stay safe and i'm so proud of you for the move!
While I can understand all of the concerns over civil liberty, the reality is that the police make me feel more safe. I have not seen anyone being searched and have not been searched. Quite possibly things would be different if I was searched. And maybe it would be different if I was doing something or carrying something that I should not.
There is no doubt that this is the start. This could turn into something worse, but I have to believe that if you are a terrorist you would at least think twice. That is all that we can do.
People on the subway are pretty good at making sure that nothing fishy is going on, but we cannot do it all. If anything, I would feel fine if the police were present...not necessarily searhing people.
Another thing to keep in mind is that it is not an illegal search. You are on property owned by the city, thus I am pretty sure that they can do what they want. I am paying for the right to use public transportation, but I do not think that it is considered public property - then again, I dont know!
I can see the point that this particular action makes people feel safe, but it is my fear that this is only the beginning. If acts of terrorism continue to happen around the globe, how long will it be before we live under martial law?? It is for safety right? I for one do not want to see police or national guard walking through the streets of our city. That happens in other places...not here. Or so we think.
I think it is necessary. I also think that it sucks that we have to do this. Things have changed in our society, and necessarily for the better. I am wondering what happens if you say No? Do they say, 'Oh, ok...you can go.' or do they say, 'Please step over to the officers with the sub-machinegun and chemical sensor.' This is the real question. If you are immediately tagged as a 'trouble maker' what happens? They have no warrant and no probable cause. Unless the subway stations are classified as private or state property can they search you after you say no. I would imagine that there will be sign's posted outside every entrance that say something like 'entrance to this facility constitutes permission to be searched'.
My suggestion to the public would be to comply with a protest. Tell the guy searching that you will let him look, but you do so under protest...or whatever. Remember that these Cops would rather be out catching bad guys then having you bust their balls about the legality of it all.
I also suggest we all keep an eye on what our government is doing to 'protect' us. Just because they say it is in our best interest, doesn't mean they know what my (our) best interest is. Remember folks this government in a team sport, not a spectator sport.
hmmmm. I do think it is illegal to search anyone's bag on a public street - without probable cause. You can't just look suspicious.
I've lived in NYC all my life - I trust and respect the police - but they have limits on their power - and they should - no one wants to go back to the way things used to be - like during the Civil Rights movement in the 60's.
It is exactly at times like this that we must remain mindful of the values that are important to us.
To put it mildly, there is no dispute that a bomb in a bag is not acceptable.
A little weed in your bag, while illegal, its not what they are supposedly looking for. But if they find it, don't expect to not be charged. And while they are busy booking you, the real terrorists are getting on the train.
And then it clouds further from there. At what point does merely being "ungoodthinkful" merit a charge?
It is possibly correct that by entering the subway station, you could be consenting to a search -- in a way that it cannot be done by virtue of just walking down the city street. But is a city street, a conduit paid for by tax dollars, so different from a subway? And then is a subway so different from an airport?
In what kind of country do we want to live?
We live in dangerous times. You can trade in your liberty for a little security. You can ride hard and die free. It is easier for me to say I'd rather do the latter when I don't live in NYC and don't take the subway every day. But terrorism can happen anywhere. It happened in NYC and DC and London, and it happened in Oklahoma City. And maybe it happened at Waco and Ruby Ridge as well.
I don't carry weed in my bag. But the only one with any business in my bag is me -- until you can demonstrate probable cause otherwise. On the highway, if a police officer pulls me over and says, "do you mind if we look in the trunk," I say, YES I DO MIND. Are you ordering me to open my trunk? If you are ordering me, I'll open it. But if you are asking me to consent, no, I won't do that.
Well said MDB...that was exactly my point. You are far more eloquent than I.
:)
Christie, I thought you said it quite nicely. I was just adding my .02 plus change, as usual. ;-)
Thank you to all of you for posting here. I LOVE to hear the comments from all. Keep them coming...it makes me want to continue to post...
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